Seeder with agitator and adjustable discharge controller



Oct. 26, 1954 L. A. MARIHART 2,692,705

SEEDER WITH AGITATOR AND ADJUSTABLE DISCHARGE CONTROLLER Filed Oct. 9, 19 50 3 Sheets-Sheet l I i l l l I 1 i O l 26 I M I Q ]NVEN TOR. O 160 /4. Man/var) Oct. 26, 1954 A. MARIHART 2,692,705

SEEDER WITH AGITATOR AND ADJUSTABLE DISCHARGE CONTROLLER Filed Oct. 9; 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 PIE-5.7. P1E &

1 15.12- 1 15-11- 'Pll'ill]- 63 67 G G S PIBJEI PIELlL PlE' 1'5 .96 PIELEL INVENTOR. .460 4. Mar/war) ATTORNEYS Oct. 26, 1954 A.. MARIHART SEEDER WITH AGITATOR AND ADJUSTABLE DISCHARGE CONTROLLER Filed Oct. 9, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INT EN T0 [ed /4. Mar/77am 14770RA/EV5 Patented Oct. 26, 1954 i 4 C a m This invention relatesigenerally 1: to agriculturalmplanting or seeding; machines and particularly-to feeding ldevices.suitabletfor the same. t

,5, Conventional agricultural, iplanters, t-or seeders employ feeding means :whichis; made adjustable and which serves to generally regulate the number of seeds vdeposited .per 'linearlfoot of travel. With seedsof the larger; sizes nol particular difilculty is involvediin i the operations of such machines. However for 17119511181181 sized seeds, such as let.- tuce; carrots and the 1ike, it is diflicultwii not impossible 1'60 secure close; regulation of, the feed to deposit tthegnatural seedwin the; ground at optimum spaced intervals. As a result seeds like e uc nar de o ite mo e: onl ess indi cr m nate: 1v wherebywhen the seed-germinates; the'plants o f the row tendlto be Qlumpedtogether; In addi tion such praetice is wasteful in; that an-optimum spacing mayt save a high percentage ofitheseeds 589 l o e a t o a ions-l tbe n. pro d or e izeto o h wi .i oqe seedo q facilitate. se din op r i ns. 1 b t su h ctic s o i ct qna e ar i l r n: t a i tiinc as s St r in c t nd th t me eriod an e i n r 9f: rmina n m h jde rimsnt afie edt i an Obje t iq the e e in e i t P wide an l agricultural 1 planter or is eeder; 1 having i t i d m an mak n P95 1 73154 1 156 fl cu ta s ns gene a w h o mum sn s n f e 2 ee s An t r: bj c sf i I W i bI Y s 55? 4 seed siirl m ans 9 W were p st st whi h IB i N I th sitalw i 1Ti r r sasi h leva b r on illustrating "feedt mjean incorpo Itin th pres ent invention fjl v i zis agr e at the l ne-292 offFigure i1 rig-me 4s {a qssa tt o fir ii flfi ri O -F I n n a vww a ie ibhg: u qk t s avi w-iil ustr n thtl ibhry d gitating wheel in linear development. t1 1; Figures is a detai l view illustrating the meterwt; ber em o d i h the eed nem ans i F ewzl 5 SEEDER'WITHAGITATOR AND ADJUST LE D C EP NT QLLE it 1 Application oetober 9, 1950; s ria1 Nd. 139,35 j P wFigure 6-. is ah'detail showing nthe metering member of Figure 5 in ancadjusted :operativepo SitiOIL t Figure 7 is; an; enlargedafragmentary view illus+ trating; :one method ion manufacturing a: meteringumemberw v r u t: t-iFigure 8 is a-Lview like Figures-'7 but showing another; stage inithe manufacture. J. c i -v Eigure 9 is a cross-sectionalviewtaken: along the lines-reef Figure 8;; 9:1: A Figure :is angenlarged fragmentary ,view illustrating another type of metering; devicew t m' wEigure 11 is a zviewtlike .Figureilohbut showing another type of meteringgdevicetv, Figure '12 ;is a view like Figure lo but showing n e t e oim e nsdevicel w n 1 Figure :13 is a cross-Sectional :viewtakenyalong he in 13-1 3 o F euv lze Figure 14 {is} a: diagrammatic "vie llustrating a me eri m mb ike that s w in i ur 5, but ooop erating with lan ppening the; lower part o h e dth pe h ht s a i nr t0ur up 3'". .1 wwt'fl in n Fi e. 1 .1 5 a e 1 ka-E rer14 ut h w n n e e smeter ne me bem v Figure lfiis a side elevational view, illustrating a er 3 9 fit hafe im an m a fid 11 m g it i Figurelj is a cross sectiona tdetailsimilar to Figure, 3; but illustratin a modification inwhich anmraht 9 je r a s n nt are employ d in L conjunction withf'a singlejhopner.

Figure 19, is a .detailtaken on of Figur 18-1 n memberg me in t m ber Figure 20, i 1, 1 .l,

The feed means illustrated in to inclusive includes a suitable hopperi [0, which is adaptedtto contain agsubstantial quantity of the a zone; of, operation: in proximity with i the upper side of the metering member l 3. ;.-Apipe or 1 tube [6 1 extends downwardly from the opening 1 t 2 and tiwjliike tigtrt i siidtm g the used n th mod fi on of 3 serves to convey the seeds into the drill tube or like part of a planter.

One form of metering member I3 is illustrated in Figure 5. It consists of a flat impervious portion IT, a cutout portion I8, and a plurality of wires or rods [9 which are parallel and which span across the cutout portion I8. The wires I9 define elongated metering openings 2| between the same,=and through which the seeds are-adapt ed to pass when properly oriented. A tab or pin 20 is carried by one end of member I3 and serves as visual means to indicate the position of the member.

One method of forming a suitable metering member is illustrated in Figures 7 to 9 inclusive. Thus cross wires 22 of a piece of Wire gauze or screen are cut and removed to form the cut away portion l8, while the other wires I9 are left intact. The meshes of the screen surrounding the cut away portion [8 are then filled with solder to form the portion H. The wires I9 will have humps substantially as shown in Figure 9, which are not objectionable, and which in fact appear to be desirable under certain conditions.

In the mounting of the metering member I3, it is desirable to provide an adjustment whereby the efi'ective length of the openings 2I can be adjusted to the feed rate. Thus the upper end of tube I is shown carried by a pair of mounting flanges 26, which in turn are removabl-y attached to the adjacent lower wall II of the hopper. The upper end of the tube I6 is terminated on a plane which is inclined to the horizontal, and which forms a fiat face 2'! against which the metering member 13 is seated. The opening I2 in this instance is rectangularly contoured (Figure -6), with parallel edges 28 spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the width of the cutaway I8, and with parallel edges 28 which are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to or greater than the length of the wires I 9. The edges 29 are preferably knife-like or feathered, so that there is no ledge of shoulder between the inner surface of the metering member and the inner curved contourlinejl of the hopper (Figure 1). With the contour line 3| conforming to the arc of a circle adjacent the opening I2, the inner face of the metering member coincides with a chord to the arc.

A nut 32 is mounted upon one end of the metering member I3, and is engaged by the threaded screw 33. This screw is carried by the bracket 34, and can be turned manually to adjust the metering member toa desired position. A compression spring 36 normally urges the metering member toward the right as viewed in Figure 1. Figure 6 illustrates one adjusted position for the metering member. Note that the impervious portion I'I blocks off a part of the opening I2, and that only a part of the length of the wires I9 are exposed, whereby seeds must pass through the spaces 2I between the exposed portions of these Wires.

The agitating device I4 is in this instance in the form of a wheel mounted upon the horizontal shaft 4|. The periphery of the wheel carries a plurality of staggered pins or studs 42, which can be distributed substantially as illustrated in Figure 4. It will be noted that the pins '42 pass in relatively close proximity with the metering memher, the spacing depending upon the size of seed being handled.

Figure 16 illustrates how the feed means just described can be used in conjunction with a conventional type of planter. The planter in this instance consists of ground engaging wheels 43 and 44, which are journaled to the frame 46. The frame carries a drill tube 41, the lower end of which may connect with a shoe 48. The hopper I0 is carried by the frame 45 in such a manner that the tube l6 deposits seeds into the drill tube 41. A sprocket 49 is mounted upon one exterior end of the shaft M, and is engaged by the chain 54 whichalso engages and is driven by a sprocket 52, mounted upon the wheel 43. The drive ratio should be selected according to various factors, such as the seeds to be handled, the range of feed rate desired, etc. In actual practice and using a ground engaging wheel 43 about fifteen inches in diameter, the drive ratio was '7 to l. The'm'ach'ine in that instance handled lettuce seed and had aground speed of about two to three miles per hour.

Operation of the planter and feed means described above is as follows: Assuming that lettuce seed is to be planted, the seedsare introduced into the hopper ID in ample amount to submerge the agitator wheel 14. As is well known lettuce seed is relatively elongated and irregular as to width and thickness. The screw 33 is adjusted to a predetermined position depending upon the number of seeds which one desires to deposit per linear foot. When the planter is standing still, and the agitator wheel I4 is stationary, the seeds will not flow through the metering member, "because of self-blocki-ngaction. When the machine moves-forwardly the agitator wheel I4 is rotated to continuously agitate the seeds in the lower part of the hopper, and to cause the seeds in the space between the agitator wheel and the lower hopper wall II to progress in the direction of rotation of the wheel. The pins 42 continuously move through and agitate the mass of seeds, whereby the seeds are in a continuous state of agitation in conjunction with the general progression movement. The action just described causes the individual seeds to continuously vary with respect to their orientation, whereby vari ously oriented seeds are continuously presented to the upper face of the metering member I3. With such action a substantial percentage of the seeds tend to be generally aligned in the plane of the wheel because of the combing-through action of the pins. The openings 21 which are exposed to the seeds between the wires I9, are dimensioned whereby in'widt'h they reach substantially less than the length of the seeds. However a seed which is presented to a space?! and which is properly oriented, can pass through the same. Thus the member I3 has a selective feed action which in turn serves to control the rate with which seeds are permitted to pass through the opening I2. limits this rate of feed is proportionate tothe rate of rotation of the agitator wheel I4, and therefore a change in the speed of movement of the planter is compensated for by a corresponding change in the feed rate. In general the rate of feed selected will depend upon various'factors including the character of the crop being planted, and the efficiency of germination.

Previous reference has been made to the necessity of orienting seeds for passage between the wires I9. The effective length of' the spaces '2l between wires, exposed for passage of seeds; may.

be less than the average length of the seeds, but nevertheless seeds mayrpass through the openings with proper orientation. For greater feed ratesthe exposed length of spaces 2*I may be somewhat greater than the average seed length.

Within reasonable Byiwayrof iexample'; with feedfmeanside'signed particularly for the handlingcofilettuceiseed, the .wiresulil of the meteringidevi'ce.werecOzOl'Zl inch in .diameteriand spaced about 01038fisinchiapart. *seven 'openings 2:! were .providedt'andHthegeffec tive length of; the openings fona 2typical adjustfmentwas flflfiii inch." uThewdiameterleofrthe agirtating. wheel .14it toxthertip fof itheitpins :42, was

about.:1%; inches; andxthezipinsweref'about', 4;

inch long, and inchxinxdiameter; aThe wh'eel i mg, openings disposed "along wise tha'nby cutting away w re mes asjsho w n' in Figure a men; T56 is formed of sheet metaliand is "cut awayfat 551, to""form a metering opening: Parallelr'o ds or wire tend acrosstheopening- 51;"a d'iare attac their ends by welding or 's ng as "indicated 1 The;metering-membersho n Figure, l; onsists of a piece ofsheet-meta16|;"provided with a plurality of parallel slots 62. The metal strips 63 remaining between the slots serve in place of the Wires [9 of Figure 7.

The metering member illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 consists of a sheet metal member 64, which is cut away at 66, and which carries a plurality of parallel strips 61. These strips take the place of the wires I9, and are spaced apart in the same manner to form metering passages between the same.

As illustrated in Figure 14 the edges of the opening in the lower wall of the hopper can be contoured in various ways to facilitate a desired time of adjustment. Thus in this instance an opening H has the side edges 12, the edge E3, and a stepped edge 74. A metering member as in Figure 8 can be used with such an opening.

An effect similar to that obtained with the arrangement of Figure 14, can be obtained by the means shown in Figure 15. In this instance the opening 16 in the lower wall of the hopper is square or rectangular the same as in Figure 6. However the metering member is so constructed that the wires I! are of various lengths, whereby when the metering member is adjusted there is a stepped efiect the same as in Figure 14. It will be evident that various blocking-01f patterns can be used, other than the pattern shown in Figure 15, to secure a wider variety of feeds.

While an agitating device in the form of a wheel having pins projecting from its periphery has been found desirable, it should be understood that other types of agitating devices can be employed, provided the seeds are progressed past the metering member in a direction generally parallel to the length of the metering openings, and with continuous orientation of the individual seeds. In addition it is desirable that the agitating device generally align the seeds in the manner previously described.

4 J My ..invention can be readily modified to adapt the same to varioustypes and sizes :of seed. Thus with the larger. seeds. sit .isEdesirabl'e-to increase the spacingcbetween' the wires cl 9,. whereby' sucli seeds: can pass. between. the wirles-iwhen @properly oriented. gAlsoa in. such event Lit iS desirable/to increase the 1 distance between: thesends: zofifthe pins 42' land the metering-:member, asrbyx modifyle ing..thej proportions; or. adjusting the 1 shaft of he agitator ;wheel.a t lts-illustrated n gure,1.'7 two,.or mor .agitating 1 wheels;cannbei; carried: upon. 1 a; common shaft; and; arranged to (operate conjunction yvithsmetering members asgpreviouslyg.described; Thusy.-,the hopper ,8, L illustrated in; Figure. :1- L71: dimensioned t0'ircceive a plurality to agitating heels,zoperatesaboveithe eparatertubesrllfi extend w rdly; from each meteringx memberz, ,wThe inawheels; I i! a e mo ted; 1119 1 a "c m 2,, which, can 1 be driven in ,ithe, amanner P p id i Qrib d-iu" i ure ,and 9 illustrat anothe and novel typ et Planter-,im nsvuseto f meansh st n e. me ilse r und en a ing haw P 51 ntqihe s il d toform hs he hopper .6! is mounted ,r rfi ided; w ;a mu,- apr v mi l es describ nir e r te t ro h 5- :u' Tl Q -tu s a e are ihtot eitroughs iormedby p ly eeil i siratedfin Figure of the machine a plate 38 is pivoted at Bl to the frame 84, and the trailing edge of this plate is urged against the soil by the tension spring 88. The action of this plate against the loose and friable soil serves to substantially fill the troughs in which the seeds have been deposited, thus covering over the seed for effective germination.

In many instances it is desirable to provide more positive means to visually indicate the adjusted position of the metering member. The arrangement of Figure 20 is for this purpose and includes a bracket 9|, corresponding to the bracket 34 of Figure 1, but which includes a graduated segment 92. A pointer cooperates with this segment and is arranged to swing when the metering member is moved. Thus the pointer can be a projecting end portion of a wire spring, which is coiled about the peg 93 and which has a projecting portion 94 which presses against the hopper. pointer engages in a notch 96 formed in the projection 97 of the metering device 98. The remainder of the metering device can be the same as shown in Figure 4. With the arrangement just described the end of the pointer moves when the metering member is adjusted, with magnified action, thus providing accurate means to gauge making adjustments.

I claim:

1. In an agricultural seeder, feed means comprising a hopper adapted to contain a quantity of seeds, a lower wall of the hopper having an opening therethrough for passage of seeds, seed metering means extending over the inner end of the opening to control discharge of seeds from the hopper into the opening, said metering means including a member provided with a plurality of metering openings, means adjustably mounting said member for affecting adjustment At a point near the peg 93 the of the: size of said metering openings, the width of each of said openings: being less than the length'of seeds whereby seeds mustbe selectively oriented to pass through the same, and rotary means Within the hopper for continuously progressing seeds past said metering openings with continual agitation and varying orientation of seeds, said rotary means including elements disposed. tov sweep in: proximity with said opening for the full length thereof, the axis of rotation of said rotary means being. substantially perpendicular tothe length of said openings.

2'. In an. agricultural seeder, feeding means comprising a hopper adapted tocontain a quantity of seeds, a lower wall of the hopper being. provided with an opening for discharge of seeds therethrough, metering means disposed to extend over the inner end: of the opening, said metering means comprising a substantially planar member provided with a plurality of elongated metering openings, the width of each of said openings being less than the length of the seeds whereby seeds must be selectively oriented to pass through the same, adjustable means for adjusting the effective length of said openings, and a rotary agitating device disposed in the lower portion of said hopper and adapted to be submerged in a charge of seeds, said agitating device having a zone of operation in proximity with the inner side of said member and serving to progress seeds past saidmember with continual agitation and varying orientation of the same, said device including elements disposed to sweep in proximity to said openings for the full length thereof, the axis of rotation of said agita- 8? ting device being substantially perpendicular to the length of said: openings;

3. Feeding means as in claim 2 in which the metering. member comprises a member having an opening, and a plurality of spaced parallel wires extending across the; opening.

4. Seeding means as: in claim 2; in which said rotary agitating device comprises a wheel having a plurality of. circumierentially spaced pins on its periphery toform said elements, said pins being. staggered. in the directionof the axis of the Wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 50,545 Thomas et a1 Oct, 17, 1865 171,461 Wishart Dec. 21, 1875 331,600 Zeigler et al Dec. '1, 1885 478,303 All'good July 5., 1892 523,344 Hancick July 24, 1894 589,546 Crownover Sept. 7, 1897 766,407 Wolfe Aug. 2, 1904 769,823 Greenfield Sept. 13, 1904 806,032 Wertz et a1 Nov. 28, 1905 8114,182 Anderson et al Mar. 6, 1905 1,327,455 Willis et a1 Jan. 6, 1920 1,492,036 Kjolstad Apr. 29, 1924 1,625,345 Yancey Apr. 19, 1927 1,700,738 Kier Feb. 5, 1929 2,200,773 Finne May 14, 1940 2,248,700 Finnell July 8, 1941 2,509,069 Mrachek May 23, 1950 2,516,471. 1950 Letsch July 25, 

